1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention is directed to a device for introducing surgical devices into blood vessels, and more particularly, to a vascular introducer with mapping capabilities to facilitate the safe placement of the introducer within a blood vessel.
2. Background of the Related Art
Devices for assisting the percutaneous introduction and implantation of diagnostic or therapeutic instrumentation into the body during a surgical procedure are well known in the art. Percutaneous introducers generally include a dilator having a tapered distal tip for penetrating an incision and a tubular sheath having a lumen for accommodating the dilator. The sheath and dilator are locked together so as not to become separated during introduction. Once the introducer has been advanced to the surgical site, the dilator is unlocked and withdrawn. The sheath then becomes a pathway for the introduction of a diagnostic or therapeutic device into the patient's body. An example of a prior art percutaneous introducer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,351 to Pohndorf.
Introducers for placing implantable devices such as cardiovascular catheters, cardiac pacing leads or defibrillation leads into the vasculature of a patient are well known. Typically, the sheath of a vascular introducer is about between 14 cm and 25 cm in length, and the dilator has a length of about between 16 cm and 27 cm. Vascular introducers used for placing leads or catheters directly into the coronary sinus of the heart are typically longer and, having lengths in excess of 35 cm. These longer vascular introducers must be placed with great caution, since the pointed tip of the dilator can damage or even puncture the interior wall of the heart.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,277,108 to McBroom et al. discloses a vascular introducer system that includes an elongated sheath with a marker band that allows the sheath to be viewed under fluoroscopy while inserted within a patient so as to permit a practitioner to identify the location of the introducer relative to the location of the intended implant device. This prior art introducer does not however, provide any means for identifying the distal end of the dilator, which is the part of the introducer that can cause the most trauma to the heart if misplaced or misdirected during insertion.
It would be beneficial therefore, to provide a percutaneous vascular introducer configured to facilitate the safe placement of an implantable diagnostic or therapeutic device into the body during a surgical procedure that is adapted and configured to permit a practitioner to identify the distal end of the dilator within the patients heart.